No driving disability in Bihar

This is good news for Bihar the transport department on Wednesday issued seven learning licences apart from first vehicle registration cards to the differently-abled people.

Earlier, the transport department used to deny driving licence to the differently abled. However, under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, there is category called ‘invalid carriage’ which talks about motors especially designed for the differently-abled. Such people can get a driving licence once they clear the driving test, said transport secretary Sanjay Agarwal.

They will also get tax exemption of 7 percent in the purchase of two-wheelers and four-wheelers.

Although there was a norm to issue licences to differently-abled people but it was not being practiced in Bihar. The department has accepted it as ignorance on their part.

A couple of days back, members of the Rashtriya Viklag Manch met Agarwal and registered their grievances regarding the transport department not issuing driving licences to them.

Transport secretary Agarwal issued orders to all district transport officers (DTOs) to open a separate counter in their respective offices to issue driving licences to them. He also handed over the first few vehicle registration cards to Dharmendra Kumar, Radha Kumari and Kumar Vaishnavi

I have been trying to get a driving licence for the past seven years. I ran from pillar to post but could not get it. When the new transport secretary joined we contacted him and he agreed to help us out. We are very happy that he has fulfilled our demand, said Viashnavi ; as per the local newspapers.

There are at least 10,000 differently-abled people who know driving and want a driving licence. Thanks to technology advances that the differently abled can easily drive two-wheelers and four-wheelers, said Agarwal.